Communication apparatus, control method for the communication apparatus, and storage medium

ABSTRACT

A communication apparatus determines whether a file selected by a file selection unit is of a format analyzable by the communication apparatus. If it is determined that the file selected by the file selection unit is not of the format analyzable by the communication apparatus, the communication apparatus restricts selection of a predetermined protocol included in a plurality of protocols. The communication apparatus further determines whether the protocol selected by a protocol selection unit is a predetermined protocol. If it is determined that the protocol selected by the protocol selection unit is the predetermined protocol, the communication apparatus restricts selection of a file of a format not analyzable by the communication apparatus.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation, and claims the benefit, of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 15/700,696, presently pending and filed onSep. 11, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 12/881,610, filed on Sep. 14, 2010, and issued as U.S. Pat. No.9,787,804 on Oct. 10, 2017, and claims the benefit of, and priority to,Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-216169 filed Sep. 17, 2009 whichapplications are hereby incorporated by reference herein in theirentireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a communication apparatus capable ofcommunicating in a plurality of protocols, a control method for thecommunication apparatus, and a storage medium.

Description of the Related Art

In recent years, progress has been made in external media as externalstorage devices, including their increased storage capacity and easieravailability, for example. The external media are able to store data ofvarious data formats, such as images, video, and music data (JapanesePatent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-028556). However, image processingapparatuses, such as multifunction peripherals (MFP), have come toinclude a function to analyze a file read from an external medium, forexample, and to transmit it. With an image processing apparatus of thistype, it is impossible to transmit a file of a data format which is notsupported by the image forming apparatus. However, with an image formingapparatus which can transmit e-mail and a file according to a filetransfer protocol (FTP), because it is not necessary to analyze thecontent of a file, the image forming apparatus can transmit a file of adata format not supported by the apparatus.

However, a conventional apparatus has the following issue. For example,when a transmission method is selected, such as G3 facsimile (FAX)transmission or Internet FAX transmission, a file needs to be rasterizedinto image data once in advance. Therefore, there is no other way but totransmit only files in a data format supported by the image processingapparatus as is conventionally done. Since there are restrictionsaccording to a data format and a transmission method as described above,a user's operation becomes cumbersome and complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a communication apparatus which cansuitably apply restrictions according to a file format and acommunication protocol when data is transmitted to an external apparatusand which can reduce the complexity of a user's operation.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a communicationapparatus capable of communicating in a plurality of protocols includesa file selection unit configured to select a file to be transmitted, aprotocol selection unit configured to select at least one transmissionprotocol from the plurality of protocols, a transmission unit configuredto transmit the file selected by the file selection unit using theprotocol selected by the protocol selection unit, a determination unitconfigured to determine whether the file selected by the file selectionunit is of a format analyzable by the transmission apparatus, and arestriction unit configured to restrict selection of a predeterminedprotocol included in the plurality of protocols if the determinationunit determines that the file selected by the file selection unit is notof the format analyzable by the communication apparatus.

Further features and aspects of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description of exemplaryembodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments, features,and aspects of the invention and, together with the description, serveto explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an imageprocessing apparatus according to a first exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a data transmission procedureaccording to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a modified example of the procedureillustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates examples of tables to define settings fordestinations according to the first exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5, composed of FIGS. 5A and 5B, is a flowchart illustrating amodified example of the procedure illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of setting a restrictionon selection of files by transmission methods according to a secondexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a table for registering permission/inhibitionsettings for respective transmission methods according to the secondexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates examples of a list of transmission permissionsettings and a list of transmission inhibition settings according to thesecond exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a data transmission procedureaccording to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Various exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of the inventionwill be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processingapparatus 100 according to a first exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention. Components will chiefly be described which are required indescribing the first exemplary embodiment. Therefore, the imageprocessing apparatus 100 according to the first exemplary embodiment maybe configured including other components.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the image processing apparatus 100 includes acentral processing unit (CPU) 101, a read-only memory (ROM) 102, arandom access memory (RAM) 103, a media interface (I/F) 104, a keyboard105, a display 106, a modem/network control unit (NCU) 107, and a localarea network (LAN) I/F 108. Those components can intercommunicate withone another via a bus 110. The CPU 101 reads apparatus operationcommands from the ROM 102, and issues operation commands to the mediaI/F 104, the modem/NCU 107, and the LAN I/F 108. The ROM 102 previouslystores various programs executable by the CPU 101. The RAM 103 is usedas a work area to execute a program or to store data received from themedia I/F 104 or to transmit data via the modem/NCU 107 or the LAN I/F108. The media I/F 104 is an interface configured to be connectable toexternal media as the external storage devices to exchange data with theexternal media. The keyboard 105 is a device to select data displayed onthe display 106 or input commands to the image processing apparatus 100.The display 106 displays information input from the keyboard 105 ordisplays data such as a file name acquired via the media I/F 104. Themodem/NCU 107 is a unit containing a modem for facsimile transmissionand an NCU. The LAN I/F 108 transmits data to an external apparatus viathe LAN 109.

Referring to FIG. 2, a procedure by which the image processing apparatus100 reads data from an external medium, and transmits the data to anexternal apparatus connected via the LAN 109 will be described. Aprocessing to be described below can be implemented when the CPU 101reads and executes a program stored in the ROM 102.

In step S201, the CPU 101 detects that an external medium is connectedby a user to the media I/F 104. In step S202, the CPU 101 searches theinside of the external medium, generates a list of files (data), andthen displays the list of files. Then, in step S203, the CPU 101identifies information selected by a user's operation input via thekeyboard 105. More specifically, the CPU 101 identifies a plurality ofselected files from the list of files displayed in step S202.

In step S204, the CPU 101 distinguishes all of data formats of the filesselected in step S203, and determines whether files have a data formatthat can be handled by the image processing apparatus 100. If all datacan be handled in the image processing apparatus 100 (YES in step S204),the processing proceeds to step S205. If there is at least one data thatcannot be handled by the image processing apparatus 100 (NO in stepS204), the processing proceeds to step S206. In step S205, the CPU 101displays all data in a table 401 (a first transmission method and asecond transmission method) stored in the RAM 103 on the display 106, asillustrated in FIG. 4, and the processing proceeds to step S207. Thetable 401 displays transmission methods defined to correspond torespective destinations. On the other hand, in step S206, the CPU 101,referring to a table 402 as illustrated in FIG. 4, extracts onlydestinations (the second transmission method) that can be handled in theimage processing apparatus 100, and displays related data on the display106, and the processing proceeds to step S207. The table 402 defineswhether data needs to be handled in the image processing apparatus 100in respective transmission methods.

The first transmission method is a method in which all data can betransmitted regardless of data formats. The first transmission methodincludes “e-mail”, “file transfer protocol (FTP)”, “Server Message Block(SMB)”. The second transmission method refers to a transmission methodcapable of transmitting only data of formats that can be handled by theimage processing apparatus 100. The second transmission method includes“FAX”, “Internet-FAX”, and “transmission to the memory in theapparatus”, for example.

In step S207, the CPU 101 selects a destination according to a user'soperation input via the keyboard 105 out of destinations indicated onthe display 106. In step S208, the CPU 101 starts transmissionprocessing according to the selected destination. In step S209, the CPU101 determines whether data transmission to all destinations selected instep S207 has been completed. If data has been transmitted to alldestinations (YES in step S209), the processing ends. On the other hand,if there is any destination to which data has not been transmitted (NOin step S209), the processing proceeds to step S210.

In step S210, the CPU 101 extracts one destination, to whichtransmission has not been made, from among the destinations selected instep S207. In step S211, the CPU 101 determines whether data needs to beconverted when data is transmitted to the destination extracted in stepS210. If data needs to be converted (YES in step S211), the processingproceeds to step S212. If data does not need to be converted (NO in stepS211), the processing proceeds to step S213. In step S212, the CPU 101converts data to be transmitted into a transmittable data format, andstores the converted data in the RAM 103, and the processing proceeds tostep S213. In step S213, the CPU 101, which now functions as atransmission unit, transmits data converted in step S212 and stored inthe RAM 103, or a file (data) selected in step S203 and not converted instep S212, to the destination (external apparatus), and the processingreturns to step S209.

As described above, a data transmission method in the flowchart in FIG.2 is as follows. A user is made to select a file to transmit from amongthe files stored in an external storage device. When a file is selected,the user selects a transmission method that can transmit the selectedfile. The image processing apparatus 100 determines whether the file isof a data format that cannot be handled by the image processingapparatus 100. Then, if the file is of a data format that cannot behandled by the image processing apparatus 110, the image processingapparatus 100 displays only the first transmission method on the display106. If the file is not of the data format that cannot be handled by theapparatus, the image processing apparatus 100 displays the first andsecond transmission methods on the display 106. In this manner, sinceavailable transmission methods are restricted according to a data formatof a selected file, and a user is made to select a transmission method,the image processing apparatus 100 can transmit even data that cannot behandled by the apparatus. In other words, the image processing apparatus100 expands types of data that can be transmitted and reduces thecomplexity of the user's operation.

Referring to FIG. 3, a first modification of the flowchart in FIG. 2will be described. In the flowchart in FIG. 2, the user is previouslymade to select a file to transmit, and selectable transmission methodsare restricted according to the selected file. On the other hand, in theflowchart in FIG. 3, first of all, the user is made to select atransmission method (destination), and selectable files are restrictedaccording to the selected transmission method. The operations similar tothose in the flowchart in FIG. 2 are designated by the same step numbersused in FIG. 2 and their descriptions are not repeated here. Theoperations in steps S301 to S305 will be described in the following.

In step S301, the CPU 101 displays the entirety of the table 401 storedin the RAM 103 on the display 106, and selects one or more destinations(transmission methods) according to the user's operation via thekeyboard 105. In step S302, referring to the table 402, the CPU 101determines whether the destination selected in step S301 includes atransmission method in which data needs to be handled by the imageprocessing apparatus 100. If the selected destination includes atransmission method in which data needs to be handled by the imageprocessing apparatus 100 (YES in step S302), the processing proceeds tostep S303. If all destinations use transmission methods in which datadoes not need to be handled by the image processing apparatus 100 (NO instep S302), the processing proceeds to step S304.

In step S303, the CPU 101 receives only files, which can be handled bythe image processing apparatus 100, from an external medium connected tothe media I/F 104, and displays file names on the display 106. On theother hand, in step S304, the CPU 101 receives all files from anexternal medium connected to the media I/F 104, and displays them on thedisplay 106, and the processing proceeds to step S305. In step S305, theCPU 101 selects one or more files according to a user operation input onthe keyboard 105 from a file list displayed in step S303 or S304. Then,as described above, with operations in steps S208 to S213, the CPU 101transmits all selected files, and the processing then ends.

As described above, in a data transmission method according to theflowchart in FIG. 3, a user is made to select a transmission method whena file stored in an external storage device is transmitted from amongtransmission methods in which data can be handled by the imageprocessing apparatus 100. When a transmission method is selected, theuser is made to select a file that can be transmitted by the selectedtransmission method.

The image processing apparatus 100 determines whether a transmissionmethod in which data needs to be handled by the image processingapparatus 100 is included in the selected transmission methods. When atransmission method which requires data to be handled by the imageprocessing apparatus 100 is included, the image processing apparatus 100displays only files that can be handled by the image processingapparatus 100 on the display 106, or if a transmission method requiringdata to be handled by the image processing apparatus 100 is notincluded, displays all files on the display 106. Because the imageprocessing apparatus 100 restricts transmittable files according to atransmission method selected by the user and then allows the user toselect a transmittable file, the image processing apparatus 100 enablesdata that cannot be handled by the apparatus to be transmitted. In otherwords, the image processing apparatus 100 according to the presentexemplary embodiment can expand a range of transmittable data and reduceoperational complexity for the user.

Referring to FIG. 5, composed of FIGS. 5A and 5B, a second modificationof the flowchart in FIG. 3 will be described. The operations similar tothose in the flowchart in FIG. 2 are designated by the same step numbersused in FIG. 2 and their descriptions are not repeated here. Theoperations in steps S501 to S507 will be described. In the flowchart inFIG. 3, the file name list displayed on the display 106 is restricted tofiles that can be handled by the image processing apparatus 100.However, those file names that fall under this restriction are alsodisplayed and when a file of them is selected, it will be subject tocontrol, which will be described below.

In step S501, the CPU 101 distinguishes and obtains files that can behandled and files that cannot be handled by the image processingapparatus 100 from the files stored in an external medium connected tothe media I/F 104, and displays those file names divided into separategroups on the display 106. In step S502, according to a user's operationinput via the keyboard 105, the CPU 101 selects a plurality of filesfrom a file name list, which has been divided in step S501. In stepS503, the CPU 101 starts data transmission according to the selecteddestinations.

In step S504, the CPU 101 distinguishes all data formats of filesselected in step S502, and determines whether the data formats of thefiles can be handled by the image processing apparatus 100. If there iseven one file, which cannot be handed by the image processing apparatus100, in all of the selected files, the processing proceeds to step S505,or if all of the selected files are files that can be handled by theimage processing apparatus 100, the processing proceeds to S209.

In step S505, the CPU 101 obtains and displays on the display 106 onlydestinations which have “NO” as information about whether data needs tobe handled by the apparatus in the table 402 stored in the ROM 102. Instep S506, the CPU 101 re-selects one or more files according a user'soperation input via the keyboard 105 from among the files displayed onthe display 106. In step S507, the CPU 101 starts data transmissionprocessing according to the re-selected destinations.

As described above, the method of data transmission in the flowchart inFIG. 5 is summarized as follows. To begin with, a user is made to selecta transmission method when a file stored in an external storage deviceis transmitted, from among the transmission methods that can be handledby the image processing apparatus 100. When a transmission method isselected, the user selects a file that can be transmitted by theselected transmission method.

Then, the image processing apparatus 100 determines whether atransmission method requiring data to be handled by the image processingapparatus 100 is included in the selected transmission methods. If thereis included a transmission method requiring data to be handled by theimage processing apparatus 100, unlike in the first modification of theflowchart in FIG. 3, the image processing apparatus 100 displays on thedisplay 106 in separate groups files that can be handled by the imageprocessing apparatus 100 and other files that cannot be handled by theimage processing apparatus 100. In this case, if a file that cannot behandled by the image processing apparatus 100 is selected, like in theflowchart in FIG. 2, the image processing apparatus 100 allows the userto select a transmission method that can transmit this file. With thisarrangement, the image processing apparatus 100 restricts transmittablefiles according to the selected transmission method, and allows the userto select a file, with the result that data which cannot be handled bythe apparatus can be transmitted. In other words, the image processingapparatus 100 can expand a range of transmittable data and reduce thecomplexity of user's operation.

A second exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be describedwith reference to FIGS. 6 to 11. In the first exemplary embodimentdescribed above, for example, when a user selects e-mail or filetransfer protocol (FTP) as a transmission method, files of a data formatthat cannot be handled by the image processing apparatus 100 can betransmitted to an external apparatus. However, if it is permitted thatall files can be transmitted, in the event that data is infected withvirus, the user may end up losing important data, or your business maysuffer massive economic damage and lose confidence in society.Therefore, in the second exemplary embodiment, a more secure andflexible transmission method for external media data is realized even ifthe user selects a transmission method, such as e-mail, FTP, by whichdata of all data formats can be transmitted to external apparatuses.More specifically, in the second exemplary embodiment, in addition tothe configuration in the first exemplary embodiment, an additionalconfiguration that can set a restriction on each transmission method bya user's operation is provided.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a procedure of setting a restriction onfiles in each transmission method will be described. The followingoperations are performed when the CPU 101 reads and executes a programstored in the ROM 102.

In step S601, the CPU 101 displays information used to register items ina table 700 on the display 106. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the table 700is a table obtained by combining the items in the table 402 in FIG. 4with items in a section 701, which sets a restriction on transmission ofdata from an external medium in each transmission method. For example,the display 106 indicates types of transmission (transmission methods),such as FAX, Internet-FAX, E-Mail, FTP, and SMB in a selectable manner.In step S602, the CPU 101 determines which transmission type is selectedby a user's operation via the keyboard 105. If FAX is selected, theprocessing proceeds to step S603. If Internet-FAX, E-Mail, FTP, or SMBis selected, the processing advances to step S604, S605, S610, or S611,respectively. Before the processing advances to step S603, S604, S605,S610, or S611, the CPU 101 indicates restrictions that can be set in theitems in the section 701 in a selectable manner for each selected typeof transmission on the display 106. For example, if FAX is set as thetype of transmission, the CPU 101, referring to the items in the section701 in the table 700, obtains “Inhibited” and “Permitted Only About DataConvertible by Apparatus”, and displays them in a selectable manner onthe display 106.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, restrictions that can be set in the items inthe section 701 are “Inhibited”, “Permitted Only About Data Convertibleby Apparatus”, “All Permitted”, and “Determined According to List”. Therestriction in “Inhibited” means to inhibit transmission of all filesincluded in an external medium. The restriction in “Permitted Only AboutData Convertible by Apparatus” means to permit transmission of onlyfiles of a data format that enables data conversion by the imageprocessing apparatus 100, namely, only files of a data format that canbe handled by the image processing apparatus from among the filesincluded in an external medium. The restriction in “All Permitted” meansto permit transmission of all files included in an external medium. Therestriction in “Determined According to List” means to set a restrictionto transmission methods according to a transmission permission list or atransmission inhibition list.

In step S603, according to the content of the table 700 stored in theRAM 103, the CPU 101 updates the item in the section 701 correspondingto the transmission type “FAX”, and the processing then ends. In otherwords, referring to the restrictions displayed on the display 106, theCPU101 updates the item in the section 701 with a selected restrictioninput via the keyboard 105. If “Inhibited” is selected, for example,data representing “Inhibited” is written. If “Permitted Only About DataConvertible by Apparatus” is selected, data representing “Permitted OnlyAbout Data Convertible by Apparatus” is selected, data representing“Permitted Only About Data Convertible by Apparatus” is written.

In step S604, like in step S603, according to the content of the table700 stored in the RAM 103, the CPU 101 updates the item in the section701 corresponding to the transmission type “Internet-FAX”, and theprocessing then ends. In step S605, S6190, or S611, like in step S603,according to the content of the table 700 stored in the RAM 103, the CPU101 updates the item in the section 701 corresponding to thetransmission type “E-Mail”, “FTP”, or “SMB”, respectively, and theprocessing proceeds to step S606.

In step S606, the CPU 101 displays information to update a transmissionpermission list 801 on the display 106. As illustrated in FIG. 8, thetransmission permission list 801 defines a data format that can betransmitted when “Determined According to List” is selected. The CPU 101displays, for example, predetermined data formats in a selectable manneron the display 106. In the next step S607, the CPU 101 sets data formatsin the transmission permission list 801 according to a user's operation.For example, if a user's operation requests that transmission of textdata in an external medium should be permitted, the CPU 101 sets datarepresenting “plain text” in the transmission permission list 108. Onthe other hand, if the user's operation requests that a permission totransmit text data in the external medium should be withdrawn, datarepresenting “plain text” is deleted from the transmission permissionlist 801.

In step S608, the CPU 101 displays information which is used to update atransmission inhibition list 802 on the display 106. As illustrated inFIG. 8, if “Determined According to List” is selected as a restriction,data to inhibit transmission is defined in the transmission inhibitionlist 802. Then, the CPU 101 displays, for example, predetermined dataformats in a selectable manner on the display 106. In step S609, the CPU101 sets a data format in the transmission inhibition list 802 accordingto the user's operation. For example, if the user's operation requeststhat transmission of HTML data in an external medium should beinhibited, the CPU 101 adds data representing “html text”. On the otherhand, if the user's operation requests that the inhibition oftransmission of HTML data in an external medium should be withdrawn, theCPU 101 deletes date representing “html text” from the transmissioninhibition list 802.

As described above, in the second exemplary embodiment, the user can setwhether to permit data transmission or not. Therefore, according to thesecond exemplary embodiment, for example, by referring to theabove-mentioned restriction during data transmission processingdescribed with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 2, data transmissionis restricted. Referring to FIG. 9, the processing will be described ingreater detail as follows. The processing of the flowchart in FIG. 9will be completed before step S213 of the flowchart in FIG. 2 isexecuted. The processing is implemented when the CPU 101 reads andexecutes a program stored in the ROM 102.

In step S901, when the information in the item of the section 701corresponding to a file to be transmitted is “Determined According toList”, the CPU 101 determines whether the type of a file to betransmitted is registered in the transmission permission list 801 or thetransmission inhibition list 802. It the file type is not registered,the processing proceeds to step S902, or if the file type is registered,the processing ends. In step 902, the CPU 101 displays the transmissionpermission list 801 and the transmission inhibition list 802 for theuser to register an unregistered file type in either of the two lists.In other words, the CPU 101 asks the user whether the user wishes topermit (YES in step S902) or inhibit (NO in step S902) transmissionaccording to the data format of data. In step S902, if the CPU 101determines to add the file type to the transmission permission list 801according to a selection result by the user's operation from thedisplayed content on the display 106, the processing proceeds to stepS903, in which the CPU 101 adds the file type (data format) to thetransmission permission list 801. On the other hand, if the CPU 101determines to add the file type to the transmission inhibition list 802,the processing proceeds to step S904, in which the CPU 101 adds the filetype to the transmission inhibition list 802. The processing then ends.Then, in step 213, the CPU 101 determines whether to transmit the dataaccording to the restriction set by the user or not.

As described above, the image processing apparatus according to thesecond exemplary embodiment is configured by adding a function ofregistering a restriction for each data format in each transmissionmethod by the user's operation, to the configuration of the firstexemplary embodiment. Therefore, the image processing apparatus canrealizes data transmission in a more flexible manner. The presentinvention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above,but various changes and modifications may be made in the invention. Forexample, the table 700 may be provided for each user or each group (eachcorporate department). In this case, the transmission permission list801 and the transmission inhibition list 802 are set for each table.

Aspects of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of asystem or apparatus (or devices such as a CPU or MPU) that reads out andexecutes a program recorded on a memory device to perform the functionsof the above-described embodiment (s), and by a method, the steps ofwhich are performed by a computer of a system or apparatus by, forexample, reading out and executing a program recorded on a memory deviceto perform the functions of the above-described embodiment (s). For thispurpose, the program is provided to the computer for example via anetwork or from a recording medium of various types serving as thememory device (e.g., computer-readable medium).

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all modifications, equivalent structures, and functions.

What is claimed is:
 1. A communication apparatus, comprising: a userinterface that selects a file from among a plurality of files stored ina storage, the user interface being able to set a destination; atransmission interface that transmits, to the destination, the fileselected by the user interface in accordance with a protocolcorresponding to the destination set by the user interface; and acontroller that determines whether to permit the user interface toselect a file based on a protocol of the destination set by the userinterface and a type of the file.
 2. The communication apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the controller determines to permit theuser interface to select the file if the protocol of the destination setby the user interface is a predetermined protocol and the type of thefile is a first type, and wherein the controller determines not topermit the user interface to select the file if the protocol of thedestination set by the user interface is the predetermined protocol andthe type of the file is a second type.
 3. The communication apparatusaccording to claim 1, further comprising a display that displays a fileof which selection is permitted without displaying a file of whichselection is not permitted.
 4. The communication apparatus according toclaim 1, further comprising: a device interface being able to connect anexternal storage device, wherein the user interface selects a file fromfiles stored in the external storage device.
 5. The communicationapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus isable to communicate in a plurality of protocols including an e-mailprotocol and a facsimile protocol.
 6. A communication apparatus capableof communicating in a plurality of protocols, the communicationapparatus comprising: a user interface that selects a file from among aplurality of files stored in a storage, the user interface being able toselect a protocol from the plurality of protocols; a transmissioninterface that transmits the file selected by the user interface inaccordance with the protocol selected by the user interface; and acontroller that determines whether to permit the user interface toselect a file based on the protocol selected by the user interface and atype of the file.
 7. The communication apparatus according to claim 6,wherein the controller determines to permit the user interface to selectthe file if the protocol selected by the user interface is apredetermined protocol and the type of the file is a first type, andwherein the controller determines not to permit the user interface toselect the file if the protocol selected by the user interface is thepredetermined protocol and the type of the file is a second type.
 8. Thecommunication apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising adisplay that displays a file of which selection is permitted withoutdisplaying a file of which selection is not permitted.
 9. Thecommunication apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: adevice interface being able to connect an external storage device,wherein the user interface selects a file from files stored in theexternal storage device.
 10. The communication apparatus according toclaim 6, wherein the plurality of protocols includes an e-mail protocoland a facsimile protocol.
 11. A control method for controlling acommunication apparatus, the control method comprising: selecting a filefrom among a plurality of files stored in a storage; setting adestination; transmitting, to the destination, the selected file inaccordance with a protocol corresponding to the set destination; anddetermining whether to permit selection of a file based on a protocol ofthe set destination and a type of the file.
 12. A non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium for storing a computer program forcontrolling a communication apparatus, the computer program comprising:a code to select a file from among a plurality of files stored in astorage; a code to set a destination; a code to perform a transmittingprocess for transmitting, to the destination, the selected file inaccordance with a protocol corresponding to the set destination; and acode to determine whether to permit selection of a file based on aprotocol of the set destination and a type of the file.